The Maya developed wrote
using pictures or drawings called pictographs.
Each picture
had its own meaning. The Maya could write in full sentences and
even stories. A story was made by drawing several pictures together.
The Maya covered their cities and buildings with hieroglyphs carved
into the stone.

Most Mayas could read
some hieroglyphs. But priests and nobles were probably the only people
who knew the whole language. The Maya carved these symbols
into stone, and made books from tree bark.

They would take one strip of bark and fold it over
and over to make pages. These "books" were wrapped with wood and deer hide.

They are calledcodices,
codex is singular (meaning one). The Maya would write with quills
made from turkey feathers. When the Spanish came, they burned many
books. Only four remain today. It probably took several weeks
or more to write each codex.

Each image was first outlined with black ink made
of a coal base. The first drawing was done with a tool made from
the thorns of the maguey cactus or from chips and bones of small
animals including birds. Brushes were made of animal hair.

Using color to illustrate the codices was not done just for looks.
Colors and shades of colors meant a lot
The Maya gave a special meaning to each color, which they
related with gods, nature and the sky.

People thought the writers were in touch with the
gods. The codices were considered sacred. The books were kept in
special rooms inside temples and important buildings.